xi, 226 pages, 24 unnumbered pages of plates : 24 cm

From the great medieval romances to the works of T.H. White and Mary Stewart, King Arthur has inspired more works of fiction than almost any other legend. But what about the real King Arthur? In this exciting historical detective story, the distinguished historian Geoffrey Ashe cuts through the myths and proves Arthur not only existed, but was more like the Arthur of legend than historians ever suspected. Ashe traces the myth of King Arthur to its roots in the twelfth-century writings of Geoffrey of Monmouth and shows how much of Geoffrey's fifith-century history was based on fact. Then, by challenging scholars' previous assumptions about where Arthur could be found, Ashe identifies the real King Arthur, and show how his theory fits several strands of evidence. Finally, Ashe describes the growth of the Arthur myth, a myth whch even in the twentieth century still holds us firmly in its spell. -- Provided by publisher

Includes bibliographical references (pages 211-215) and index

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